This invention relates to a method and system for supporting maintenance for a molding system. Particularly, it relates to a method and system for determining or anticipating which apparatus of a molding system may cause a problem, before the problem arises in the system.
A molding system uses many components, such as an air cylinder and an oil cylinder. They may exceed 200-300 counts. Because a molding system uses many components and silica sand, and because motes float around the system, the components of the apparatuses tend to be abraded so that those components or apparatuses may be disturbed. Also, because each apparatus operates in two steps, and because those steps are sensed when they are terminated, the degradation of the sensors affects the cycle time of the molding system, which cycle time corresponds to the time of a cycle of one operation of the molding system. Also, the timing of the steps may vary, so that the steps can be unstable.
When the molding system is caused to be stopped by a problem, what apparatus or component is disturbed can be determined by accessing data that is stored in the memory of the controller of the molding system and by inspecting peripheral components of the unit. As a result, the determination and inspection take a long time, and may impede production plans, such as the production and production dates.
In addition, over time, grease for components for a molding system becomes insufficient, or parts, a sealant, etc. of the components degrade, so that the system cannot accurately work or the time to operate the system becomes long. Thus, usually, the system is periodically maintained. However, it is difficult to determine to what degree it will degrade. Thus, when components have problems, the system is stopped and then parts, a sealant, elements etc. of the components are exchanged.
There are some methods to monitor the tendency for each component to degrade. One of the methods uses a vibration sensor that is located on the component to monitor the amplitude and the acceleration of vibrations.
Another method is used to monitor grease on a bearing, etc. Many components are needed to perform those methods, so that the system becomes a massive one. As a sensor is apt to degrade, a special apparatus is used for a sensor. However, the special apparatus cannot be used to monitor the tendency for all the apparatuses or components of the system to degrade. Thus, there is a desire to easily monitor the tendency of all the apparatuses or components to degrade, so that their problems can be anticipated before the system is caused to be stopped.
Thus, this invention is to provide a system and a method for determining or anticipating which apparatus must be repaired before a molding system is caused to be stopped by any problem.
One object is to provide a method for supporting maintenance for a molding system and for determining or anticipating which apparatus must be maintained before a molding system is caused to be interrupted by the problem. The method includes the steps of measuring and storing at short periods data on cycle times that correspond to the time for the cycle of each operation of the molding system and the operation times of the steps performed by the apparatuses, the operation times affecting the cycle time, retrieving data on and specifying any cycle time that is longer than a normal cycle time from a database in which the cycle times and the operation times are stored, and determining which step may cause a problem among the steps of the apparatuses, and which steps affect the cycle time, based on the sum of the operation times for the cycle times specified that exceed a predetermined time or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time.
Also, one object is to provide a method for supporting maintenance for a molding system and for determining which apparatus must be maintained before a molding system is caused to be interrupted by a problem. The method includes the steps of measuring and storing data at short periods on cycle times that each correspond to the time for the cycle of each operation of the molding system and the operation times of the steps performed by the apparatuses, the operation times affecting the cycle time, retrieving data on and specifying any cycle time that is longer than a normal cycle time from a database in which the cycle times and the operation times are stored, determining which step may cause a problem among the steps of the apparatuses, which steps affect the cycle time, based on the sum of the operation times for the cycle times specified that exceed a predetermined time or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time, and monitoring the cycle times to see the changes between the operation times of the step determined.
Further, an object is to provide a method for supporting maintenance for a molding system and for anticipating which apparatus must be maintained before a molding system is caused to be interrupted by the problem. The method includes the steps of measuring and storing at short periods data on cycle times, each corresponding to the time for a cycle of each operation of the molding system, and operation times of the steps performed by the apparatuses, the operation times affecting the cylce time, retrieving and specifying data on any cycle time that is longer than a normal cycle time from a database in which the cycle times and the operation times are stored, determining any step that may cause a problem among the steps of the apparatuses, which steps affect the cycle time, based on the sum of the operation times for the cycle times specified that exceed a predetermined time or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time, and monitoring transitions of the operation times of the step determined.
It is still another object to provide a maintenance system for a molding system and for determining or anticipating which apparatus must be maintained before the molding system is interrupted by the problem. The system comprises a memory part for measuring and storing at short periods data on cycle times that each correspond to the time of the cycle of each operation of the molding system and the operation times of the steps performed by the apparatuses, the operation times affecting the cycle time, a retrieving part for retrieving data on and specifying any cycle time that is longer than a normal cycle time from a database in which the cycle times and the operation times are stored by the memory part, and a determining part for determining any step that may cause a problem among the steps of the apparatuses, which affect the cycle time, based on the sum of the operation times for each cycle time specified that exceed a predetermined time or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time.
One object is to provide a maintenance system for a molding system and for determining which apparatus must be maintained before the molding system is interrupted by any problem in the apparatus. The system comprises a memory part for measuring and storing at short periods data on cycle times that each correspond to the time of the cycle of each operation of the molding system and the operation times of the steps performed by the apparatuses, the operation times affecting the cycle time, a retrieving part for specifying a cycle time that is longer than a normal cycle time from a database in which the cycle times and the operation times are stored by the memory part, and a monitoring part for checking changes in the cycle times for the operation times of the step that is determined may cause a problem among the steps of the apparatuses, which steps affect the cycle time, based on the sum of the operation times for each cycle time specified by the retrieving part that exceed a predetermined time or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time.
Also, one object is to provide a maintenance system for a molding system and for anticipating which apparatus must be maintained before the molding system is caused to be interrupted by the apparatus, comprising the memory part for measuring and storing at short periods data on cycle times that each correspond to the time of a cycle of each operation of the molding system and the operation times of the steps performed by the apparatuses, the operation times affecting the cycle time, a retrieving part for specifying a cycle time that is longer than a normal cycle time from a database in which the cycle times and the operation times are stored by the memory part, a part for determining any step that may cause a problem among the steps of the apparatuses, which steps affect the cycle time, based on the sum of the operation times for each cycle time specified by the retrieving part that exceed a predetermined time or the sum of the number of operation times that exceed the predetermined time, and a monitoring part for checking the transitions of the operation times of the step that are determined by the determination part.